Overcoming initial hiccups and a monitoring anomaly, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone on Saturday by successfully launching a test vehicle related to the country’s ambitious human space flight program, Gaganyaan. This achievement marked a significant step forward for India’s space exploration aspirations.
In this mission, scientists simulated an abort situation for the Crew Escape System (CES) as part of the test vehicle, TV-D1. The successful execution of this simulated abort situation showcased the system’s ability to carry the Crew Module to safety. The Crew Module (CM) is a crucial component of the Gaganyaan program, providing a pressurized, Earth-like environment for astronauts during their mission.
For this test vehicle, TV-D1, the Crew Module was an unpressurized version, as stated by ISRO. Following the mission, the Indian Navy was responsible for recovering the module from the Bay of Bengal and transporting it to the Chennai port.
The ISRO Chairman, S Somanath, expressed his satisfaction, saying, “I am very happy to announce the successful accomplishment of the TV-D1 mission. The purpose of the mission was to demonstrate the crew escape system for the Gaganyaan program through a test vehicle demonstration in which the vehicle has gone up to a Mach and above, which is the speed of sound and initiated an abort condition for the CES to function.”
The Gaganyaan program, a flagship endeavor of ISRO, aims to send Indian astronauts into space on a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) mission at an altitude of 400 kilometers for three days before safely returning them to Earth.
The launch faced its share of challenges, including weather-related delays that pushed the scheduled launch time from 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM, and then another 15 minutes later. However, the most critical moment came when, just four seconds before liftoff, a “hold” sign flashed on the screens. This unexpected halt was attributed to a monitoring anomaly in the system, as explained by Somanath. He highlighted that the anomaly was identified and resolved rapidly, allowing the mission to proceed.
Somanath praised the team for their ability to address this anomaly swiftly, stating, “I am happy our team could understand an anomaly, rectify it, and come back as fast. Congratulations to everybody. It is a big training for everybody here to prepare for the Gaganyaan program…happy that the launch could happen within the allocated launch window.”
Following the launch, the successful completion of each mission stage was met with cheers from the scientists at the Mission Control Centre.
Somanath emphasized that the next step is an unmanned Gaganyaan vehicle mission, expected early next year. This mission is a critical part of the Gaganyaan program’s development.
R Hutton, Mission Executive for Crew Module Realization and Mission Director, Gaganyaan, celebrated the safety aspects of today’s success, noting that the Crew Escape System demonstrated its role in ensuring the crew’s safety. Hutton highlighted that the system performed as expected, taking the Crew Module to safety, which is crucial in the event of any malfunction during a mission.
The Test Vehicle mission represents a significant milestone for the Gaganyaan program, as a nearly complete system was integrated and tested for flight. The Crew Module System is an essential component of the Gaganyaan program, providing a safe and habitable environment for the crew in space. This module has undergone extensive testing at various ISRO centers before being integrated into the launch complex in Sriharikota.
